Scissors handle construction



Dec. 4, 1962 M. M. MELTON 3,066,412

SCISSORS HANDLE CONSTRUCTION Filed June 16, 1961 lNVENTOR MANNING MOSES MELTON Maw M ATTORNEYS.

3,066,412 S'CISSORS HANBLE 001 ISTRUQTEON Manning Moses Melton, 938 Grand Concourse, Bronx 51, NE. Filed June 16, 196i, Ser. No. 117,580 6 Ciaims. (U. 30-257} This invention relates to cutting scissors or shears and, more particularly, to a novel handle arrangement therefor.

The usual scissors or shears is operated by the user placing the thumb and one finger, generally the index finger, of one hand through the two lOOps on the handles of the scissors and then moving the thumb and finger relatively to each other to open and close the scissors. For best results in cutting, the plane of movement of the cutting edges of the scissors should be kept as near as possible perpendicular to the general plane of the material to be cut.

In cases where the material to be cut is relatively fixed in position and thus cannot have its orientation readily changed, the hand and wrist of the user must be held in an unnatural and uncomfortable position in order to hold the cutting plane of the scissors substantially perpendicular to the plane of the material. With prolonged cutting operations, or with cuttings operations in which a great deal of force must be exerted to eifect a cut, this results in strain and fatigue of the hand and wrist muscles, and sometimes of the arm muscles.

Such conditions may arise, for example, when cutting bandages for removal from a patient. In the latter case, not only is the cutting operation relatively prolonged, but the material to be cut is relatively thick and thus requires that a relatively great force be exerted on the scissors handles in order to properly effect a cut. Also, the orientation of the material to be cut, in this case the bandages, is relatively fixed so that it may not be changed to provide a more comfortable orientation of the hand and wrist.

The usual scissors or shears comprises a pair of cutting members which are pivotally interconnected intermediate their ends, the pivot sometimes being about at the midpoint of the scissors and at other times being at other locations depending upon the degree of leverage required. The cutting elements each include a blade portion and a handle portion, the blade and handle portions extending in opposite directions from the pivot. The blade portion is shaped to form a relatively fiat cutting edge which is substantially perpendicular to the axis of the pivot, and the cutting edges of the two blades bear closely against one another and slide over each other in order to make the cut. The opposite or outer surface of each blade portion is usually bevelled so as to produce their relatively sharp cutting edge. The handle portions of the members are formed with integral loops for receiving the thumb and finger of a hand.

In accordance with the present invention, the aforementioned difficulties in the operation of scissors or shears are overcome by arranging the handle portions of the scissors so that the planes extending diametrically of the loop make a predetermined acute angle with the cutting plane of the blade portions of the scissors. Furthermore, the planes extending diametrically of the two loops are parallel to each other so that one loop extends outwardly to one side of the cutting plane of the scissors and the other loop extends outwardly to the other side of the cutting plane of the scissors. While the angle between the diametric planes of the loops of the handle and the cutting plane of the scissors may be from ten to fifty degrees, it is preferably from thirty to forty-five degrees and the best results are attained when the angle is thirty degrees.

It has been found that when the two elements of the ate arm scissors are twisted rearwardly of the pivot so that the diametric planes of the loops extend at such an acute angle to the cutting plane of the blades, the wrist and hand used to operate the scissors occupies a much more normal position and fatigue and tiring are greatly reduced. Looking in end elevation at the scissors and from the handle end thereof toward the blade or point end of the scissors, the twist of the loops relative to the cutting plane of the blades is clockwise.

For an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference is made to the following description of a typical embodiment hereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawing. In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a view, in side elevation, of a upair of scissors embodying the invention in a position in which the scissors are held during use;

FIG. 2 is a corresponding bottom plan view of the scissors, looking in the direction of the arrow 2 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a rear end elevational view, partly in section, of the scissors shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

In accordance with the usual construction, the scissors comprises a pair of cutting members lit and 2t) interconnected by a pivot 3b which may be in the form of a screw which is countersunk and rotatable in a recess in the member 10 and threaded into the member 20, the tip end of the screw being suitably riveted or headed to prevent disengagement once the screw is fully inserted in position.

Each member 16 or 20 includes a blade portion 11 and 21, respectively. Blade portion 11 has an inner plane surface 12 and an outer surface 13 at least part of which extends at an acute angle to surface 12 to form the cutting edge. Similarly, blade portion 21 includes an inner surface 22 which is substantially parallel to the surface 12 and includes an outer surface portion 23 which extends, at least in part, at an acute angle to the surface 22 so as to form a cutting edge. It will be noted, from FIG. 2, that the surfaces 12 and 22 are substantially out of contact except at their point ends, which is common in scissors constructions. The inner surfaces 12 and 22 extend substantially parallel to the cutting plane 35, which is perpendicular to the axis of pivot 30, and it will be noted that the members 10 and 20 are in surface engagement along this plane 35 for a distance either side of pivot 39.

The blade portions 11 and 21 extend in one direction from pivot 30, and handle portions M and 24 extend in the opposite direction from pivot 30. These handle portions 14 and 24 terminate in finger or thumb loops 15 and 25. While the handle loops 15 and 25 are shown as generally circular, they may have any desired configuration such as both circular, both oval, one oval and one circular, or the like.

In accordance with the invention, the diametric planes through the loops 15 and 25 extend at an acute angle to the cutting plane 35. This angle may have a range of from ten degrees to fifty degrees, but preferably is in the range of thirty degrees to forty-five degrees. A preferred specific angle is thirty degrees. The dliametric planes through the respective handle loops 15 and 25 are indicated at 16 and 26, respectively, by dot and dash lines. The planes 16 and 26 are parallel to each other and each extends at an angle, such as thirty degrees, to the cutting plane 35.

It should be noted that the twisting of the handle portions 14 and 24 commences at a point. spaced on the opposite side of pivot 30 from the blade portions 11 and 21. From such point outward to the loop ends of the handle portions, the handle portions are twisted in such a manner that the loops lie in diametric planes which have the mentioned acute angular relationship to the cutting plane 35.

apes r12 By this construction, a person holding the scissors and desiring to hold the cutting edges so that the surfaces 12 and 22 extend perpendicularly to the plane of the material to be cut, has his or her wrist and hand positioned more naturaly, so that the muscle strain is relieved. This allows the scisors to be used more easily and, at the same time, allows great pressure to be exerted in cutting, as distinguished from prior art arrangements in which the diametric planes through the handle loops substantially coincide with, or are parallel to, the plane of the inner surfaces of the blade portions.

While a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the principles of the invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.

What is claimed is:

1. A scissors or shears including a pair of relatively elongated cutting members pivotally interconnected intermediate their ends at a pivot axis to provide cooperable blade portions extending in one direction from the. pivot axis and cooperating handle portions extending in the opposite direction from the pivot axis, the blade portions having facing substantially planar inner surfaces substantially parallel to a cutting plane, and the handle portions having curvilinear loops at their outer ends for receiving the thumb and a finger of a users hand; the diametric planes of said loops beeing substantially parallel and extending at an acute angle to said cutting plane, and said diametric planes being displaced clockwise from said cutting plane, as viewed from the handle end of the scissors.

2. A scissors or shears as claimed in claim 1 in which said acute angle is between ten degrees and fifty degrees.

3. A scissors or shears as claimed in claim 1 in which said acute angle lies between thirty degrees and fortyfive degrees.

4. A scissors or shears as claimed in claim 1 in which said acute angle is substantially thirty degrees.

5. A scissors or shears including a pair of relatively elongated cutting members pivotally interconnected intermediate their ends at a pivot axis to provide cooperable blade portions extending in one direction from the pivot axis and cooperating handle portions extending in the opposite direction from the pivot axis, the blade portions having facing substantially planar inner surfaces substantially parallel to a cutting plane, and the handle portions having curvilinear loops at their outer ends for receiving the thumb and a finger of the users hand; said handle portions being twisted about their respective longitudinal center lines outwardly of said pivot axis so that the diametric planes of said loops are substantially parallel and extend at an acute angle to said cutting plane.

6. A scissors or shears including a pair of relatively elongated cutting members pivotally interconnected intermediate their ends at a pivot axis to provide cooperable blade portions extending in one direction from the pivot axis and cooperating handle portions extending in the opposite direction from the pivot axis, the blade portions having facing substantially planar inner surfaces substantially parallel to a cutting plane, and the handle portions having curvilinear loops at their outer ends for receiving the thumb and a finger of a users hand; the handle portions being twisted about their longitudinal center lines outwardly of the pivot axis so that the diametric planes of said loops are substantially parallel and extend at an acute angle to said cutting plane, with said diametric planes being displaced clockwise from said cutting plane, as viewed from the handle end of the scissors.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 94,247 Seymour Aug. 31, 1869 156,073 Chrisman Oct. 20, 1874 1,357,437 Baker Nov. 2, 1920 2,671,266 Patricelli Mar. 9, 1954 

